IADR Abstract Archives
The effects of face masks wearing in digital panoramic radiographs
Objectives: Although the wearing of masks has been relaxed for public areas, Thai Ministry of Public Health still recommend the use of face mask to prevent infection by respiratory diseases including COVID-19 especially in the closed-environment. As for radiation protection, X-ray rooms usually build in sealed unit. Panoramic radiographs were accepted as gold-standard for oral screening examination. The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of masks wearing and without in digital panoramic radiographs.
Methods: The cross-sectional study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand (NU-IRB-COA No. 389/2021). 600 patients were enrolled in the study. 300 patients were asked to wear masks during panoramic examination, another 300 went through the examination normally without masks. Each digital panoramic radiograph was observed by two radiologists independently in three times interval. 6 areas of panoramic radiographs; maxillary anterior teeth, maxillary posterior teeth, nasal and paranasal sinus, mandibular anterior teeth, mandibular posterior teeth and mandibular retromolar areas were graded as; 0 undiagnosable, 1 unclear, 2 diagnosable. Mean and SD of graded scores were calculated and compared.
Results: The intraclass correlation coefficient were 0.91, 0.96 and 0.95 in the first observer and 0.86, 0.91 and 0.89 in the second observer. The interclass correlation coefficient were 0.87, 0.96 and 0.92. The overall scores of masks wearing were 9.81±2.87, 10.24±2.74 and 10.03±3.02. The overall scores of un-masked were 10.45±3.02, 10.85±2.89 and 10.67±2.76. Both masked and un-masked wearing radiographs resulted in non significantly different for diagnostic (p < 0.05).
Conclusions: Masks wearing in digital panoramic radiographs do not affect the image quality in making diagnosis.
Methods: The cross-sectional study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand (NU-IRB-COA No. 389/2021). 600 patients were enrolled in the study. 300 patients were asked to wear masks during panoramic examination, another 300 went through the examination normally without masks. Each digital panoramic radiograph was observed by two radiologists independently in three times interval. 6 areas of panoramic radiographs; maxillary anterior teeth, maxillary posterior teeth, nasal and paranasal sinus, mandibular anterior teeth, mandibular posterior teeth and mandibular retromolar areas were graded as; 0 undiagnosable, 1 unclear, 2 diagnosable. Mean and SD of graded scores were calculated and compared.
Results: The intraclass correlation coefficient were 0.91, 0.96 and 0.95 in the first observer and 0.86, 0.91 and 0.89 in the second observer. The interclass correlation coefficient were 0.87, 0.96 and 0.92. The overall scores of masks wearing were 9.81±2.87, 10.24±2.74 and 10.03±3.02. The overall scores of un-masked were 10.45±3.02, 10.85±2.89 and 10.67±2.76. Both masked and un-masked wearing radiographs resulted in non significantly different for diagnostic (p < 0.05).
Conclusions: Masks wearing in digital panoramic radiographs do not affect the image quality in making diagnosis.